India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
